The Illusory Perception of Movement Caused by Angular Acceleration and by Centrifugal Force During Flight. IV. Illusory Rotation of a Target During Turns

摘要

The study was designed to collect additional data on illusory motion and displacement of a fixed target in the dark while the plane in which the observations were made executed turns at varying degrees of bank. Four subjects made observations in the rear cockput of an SNJ-6 aircraft during flight. They followed a previously established procedure save in one regard. Instead of attempting to report all of the illusory motion present they confined their attention to a single aspect namely, the apparent rotation of a collimated star about its central point. The verbal reports were inscribed on an airborne wire recorder and analyzed in the laboratory. Observations were also made in a specially modified Link Trainer in the laboratory to attempt to clarify the stimulus response relationships. Illusory rotation including both motion and displacement of the target occurred at all degrees of bank from 10 to 60 degrees. This was true both on entering a bank and during recovery to straight and level flight. The illusory rotation was in the direction of the banking motion of the plane and the motion and displacement waned a few seconds after the plane had assumed the new attitude.